UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture is now accepting entries for the 2026 Arts Business Idea Competition, which is the college’s annual showcase of arts entrepreneurship that asks students to present an arts-based business plan that could earn entrants up to $5,000 to develop the concept.
The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students from any major and any Penn State campus. The only requirement is that the business concept is arts-based. Freelance, nonprofit, for-profit, hybrid and small or large-scale ideas are welcome.
To enter the competition, participants are asked to email a PDF of their business plan to Jonathan Gangi, associate professor of music and arts entrepreneurship and the competition administrator, by 11:59 p.m. on April 1.
Semifinalists will be announced via email by April 8 and will present their business concepts in person to a panel of judges April 13-14. Winners will be announced on April 14. Exact date and time during that week is TBD.
All rules and guidelines can be found on the competition’s webpage.
The first-place winner will receive $5,000, second place will receive $3,500, and third place will receive $1,500.
Questions about the competition can be submitted to Gangi at jjg27@psu.edu.